A very young, compact bipolar H${}_2$O maser outflow in the intermediate-mass star-forming LkH$\hat{I}\pm$ 234 region

Abstract

We report multi-epoch VLBI H${}_2$O maser observations towards the compact cluster of YSOs close to the Herbig Be star LkH$\hat{I}\pm$ 234. This cluster includes LkH$\hat{I}\pm$ 234 and at least nine more YSOs that are formed within projected distances of $\sim$10 arcsec ($\sim$9,000 au). We detect H${}_2$O maser emission towards four of these YSOs. In particular, our VLBI observations (including proper motion measurements) reveal a remarkable very compact ($\sim$0.2 arcsec = $\sim$180 au), bipolar H${}_2$O maser outflow emerging from the embedded YSO VLA 2. We estimate a kinematic age of $\sim$40 yr for this bipolar outflow, with expanding velocities of $\sim$20 km s${}^{-1}$ and momentum rate ${\dot{M}}_w{V}_w$ $\simeq$ $10^{-4}-10^{-3}$ M${}_{\odot }$ yr${}^{-1}$ km s${}^{-1}$$\times (\hat{I}\text{c◯}$/$4\ddot{I}€)$, powered by a YSO of a few solar masses. We propose that the outflow is produced by recurrent episodic jet ejections associated with the formation of this YSO. Short-lived episodic ejection events have previously been found towards high-mass YSOs. We show now that this behaviour is also present in intermediate-mass YSOs. These short-lived episodic ejections are probably related to episodic increases in the accretion rate, as observed in low-mass YSOs. We predict the presence of an accretion disk associated with VLA 2. If detected, this would represent one of the few known examples of intermediate-mass stars with a disk-YSO-jet system at scales of a few hundred au.